Trongsa, 7 September 2026 — The Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives (DAMC), with support from the EU-funded Technical Assistance for Agrifood Systems (EU-TAAS) Project, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has commenced a five-day capacity-building programme on “Branding, Packaging, Digital Marketing and Market Readiness for Agrifood Enterprises” in Trongsa Dzongkhag. The programme will run from 7–11 September 2026. The inaugural session was graced by the Director, DAMC.
The programme brings together 32 participants (11 female and 21 male), comprising representatives from agrifood enterprises, farmer groups and cooperatives, the National Post Harvest Centre (NPHC) and its sub-centres, the Regional Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives Offices (RAMCOs), the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA) under the Ministry of Health, and the Bhutan Standards Bureau (BSB) and the Department of Media, Creative Industry and Intellectual Property (DoMCIIP), both under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment.
The training is being conducted to strengthen the capacity of agrifood enterprises and cooperatives to effectively use branding, packaging, digital marketing and quality assurance systems to improve product competitiveness, market access and enterprise sustainability.
DAMC has supported selected agrifood enterprises through various initiatives, including branding, rebranding, packaging and label design, prototype development and website development. Under the EU-funded Productive and Inclusive Sustainable Rural Agricultural and Food Systems (EU-PISRAF) Project, 16 agrifood enterprises have received such support. Similarly, under the EU-TAAS Project, four cooperatives have been supported in Geographical Indication (GI) registration.
The five-day programme will cover practical areas including brand positioning and storytelling, packaging and labelling, trademark registration and intellectual property protection, Geographical Indications, digital marketing and website management, food standards and certification, business planning and financial management.
The programme also provides a platform for participants to exchange experiences, build networks and identify practical approaches to strengthening their products and businesses.
Through this initiative, DAMC and its partners aim to help Agri-food enterprises better communicate the value and identity of their products, respond to market requirements, strengthen their market presence and ultimately contribute to a more competitive, market-oriented and sustainable Agri-food sector in Bhutan.